Animal Bioscience最新文献

{"title":"Models for energy utilization of feeds for nursery and growing pigs based on conventional and multi-sample simultaneous in vitro procedures.","authors":"Yeojin An, Noa Park, Beob Gyun Kim","doi":"10.5713/ab.260384","DOIUrl":"10.5713/ab.260384","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The objective of the present study was to develop prediction equations for energy digestibility and metabolizability in feedstuffs and diets for nursery and growing pigs based on in vitro total tract disappearance using the conventional procedure determined with the flask method (IVTTDflask) and the multi-sample simultaneous method (IVTTDDaisy) and chemical composition.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Fourteen feedstuffs and 18 diets for nursery pigs and 35 feedstuffs and 42 diets for growing pigs were analyzed for gross energy, ether extract, crude protein (CP), ash, amylase-treated neutral detergent fiber (aNDF), and acid detergent fiber. In vitro procedures were used to determine IVTTDflask and IVTTDDaisy of dry matter (DM) by simulating digestion and absorption in the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine of pigs. Energy utilization of the feeds in nursery and growing pigs was from in-house data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The most suitable equations for energy utilization (%) were: energy digestibilitynursery = 0.41×IVTTDDaisy of DM-0.28×aNDF+54.0 (root mean square error [RMSE] = 3.12, R2 = 0.91, and p<0.001); energy metabolizabilitynursery = 0.38×IVTTDDaisy of DM- 0.25×aNDF-0.09×CP+54.6 (RMSE = 1.39, R2 = 0.98, and p<0.001); energy digestibilitygrowing = 0.26×IVTTDDaisy of DM-0.36×aNDF+69.2 (RMSE = 4.54, R2 = 0.83, and p<0.001); energy metabolizabilitygrowing = 0.26×IVTTDDaisy of DM-0.33×aNDF-0.09×CP+68.2 (RMSE = 4.77, R2 = 0.80, and p<0.001), where all nutrients were in % on a DM basis.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The energy utilization by nursery and growing pigs can be estimated using in vitro total tract disappearance of DM and chemical composition in feedstuffs and diets.</p>","PeriodicalId":7825,"journal":{"name":"Animal Bioscience","volume":" ","pages":"260384"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13662940/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148618132","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Annual methane emission from pig manure in Korea is less than the estimate of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.","authors":"Donghyeon Lee, Beob Gyun Kim","doi":"10.5713/ab.260674","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.260674","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>An accurate estimation of methane (CH4) emissions from pig manure is important to effectively manage greenhouse gases from pigs. The present work aimed to estimate annual CH₄ emissions from market pig manure in Korea based on the energy utilization of growing pigs and to compare the values with the estimate of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data on energy utilization in growing pigs fed corn-soybean meal-based diets were obtained from 4 experiments reported in 3 research articles. The average body weight (BW) in each experiment was 30.8, 64.3, 73.8, and 74.5 kg, respectively. The Gompertz model was employed to estimate BW of the pigs based on age. Daily metabolizable energy (ME) intake was calculated based on BW. The daily gross energy (GE) output consisted of daily fecal and urinary GE output was calculated as the difference between daily GE intake and daily ME intake. Daily volatile solid (VS) excretion from market pigs was calculated based on daily GE output and dietary organic matter content using the IPCC equation. The annual CH4 emissions were calculated based on daily VS excretion using the IPCC model.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The ME:GE of the diets ranged from 0.84 to 0.91. The representative daily GE output of a market pig was 24.4 MJ/d, which corresponded to the BW of 37.9 kg at 85.1 d of age. The daily VS excretion of a market pig was 0.14 kg/d, and the annual CH₄ emission from market pig manure was 3.80 kg/yr (standard error = 0.09) in Korea, which was less (p<0.001) than 8.0 kg/yr suggested by the IPCC.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Based on the actual energy utilization of growing pigs in Korea, the annual methane emission from market pig manure was 3.80 kg/yr which is less than the estimate suggested by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.</p>","PeriodicalId":7825,"journal":{"name":"Animal Bioscience","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148987700","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of neutral detergent fiber content and its source on growth performance, rumen characteristics, digestibility, and methane concentrations in Hanwoo heifers.","authors":"Hyunjin Cho, Sinyong Jeong, Kyewon Kang, Mingyung Lee, Seoyoung Jeon, Hamin Kang, Joonpyo Oh, Seongwon Seo","doi":"10.5713/ab.260360","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.260360","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study investigated the effects of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content and NDF source (forage- or concentrate-derived) on growth performance, rumen characteristics, nutrient digestibility, and methane (CH4) concentrations in growing Hanwoo heifers.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Thirty heifers (296 ± 25.7 kg body weight [BW]; 10 months old) were blocked by BW and assigned to three treatments: high forage-to-concentrate ratio (42.5:57.5) with high-energy concentrate (HFHC), low forage-to-concentrate ratio (30:70) with low-energy concentrate (LFLC), and low forage-to-concentrate ratio (30:70) with high-energy concentrate (LFHC). NDF-level effects were assessed by contrasting HFHC and LFLC with LFHC, whereas the NDF-source contrast compared HFHC with LFLC at similar total NDF levels. Dry matter intake (DMI) was recorded daily and BW every four weeks. Rumen fluid and fecal samples were collected, and CH4 concentrations measured, after 12 weeks.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio were unaffected by NDF level or source (P > 0.05), whereas DMI tended to increase with lower NDF (P = 0.099). Lower NDF reduced NDF digestibility and increased total volatile fatty acid concentration (P < 0.05), decreased acetate proportion and acetate-to-propionate ratio, and increased propionate and butyrate proportions (P < 0.001). NDF source did not affect nutrient digestibility (P > 0.05). In the NDF-source contrast, LFLC had lower acetate and propionate and higher butyrate proportions than HFHC (P < 0.05). Lower NDF also decreased CH4 concentration per DMI and ADG (P < 0.05). LFLC had lower CH4 concentration per ADG than HFHC, whereas CH4 concentration per DMI did not differ.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Dietary NDF level was associated with broader changes in ruminal fermentation, NDF digestibility, and CH4 concentration per DMI and ADG, whereas NDF source had more limited effects, primarily on VFA proportions and CH4 concentration per ADG. Neither NDF level nor source significantly affected growth performance in growing Hanwoo heifers.</p>","PeriodicalId":7825,"journal":{"name":"Animal Bioscience","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148987723","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative analysis of four compound stomachs development, fermentation dynamics, and microbiome structure in Hu sheep and its crossbred combinations.","authors":"Rui Zhang, Chun E Niu, Hai Na Shi, Xue Jiao An, Qiao Li, Zhi Guang Geng, Jin Xia Zhang, Zhen Fei Xu, Yao Jing Yue","doi":"10.5713/ab.260416","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.260416","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study was conducted to investigate the differences in fermentation parameters, epithelial development, and microbial composition across the four stomach compartments between Hu sheep and its crossbreds.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Forty-eight approximately 3-month-old male lambs, assigned to three genetic groups (HH:♂Hu×♀Hu, n=16; DH:♂Poll Dorset×♀Hu, n=16; SH:♂Southdown×♀Hu, n=16), were raised under uniform nutritional and management conditions for 95 days. Feed intake was determined daily and body weight were measured every 20 days. At the end of the trial, six sheep per group close to the average weight were slaughtered. Samples of digesta and tissue from the four stomachs were collected. Fermentation parameters, epithelial development, and microbial community structure were analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Compared with the HH group (acetate: 25.8, 21.8, and 6.36 mmol/kg; propionate: 6.8, 5.60, and 3.65 mmol/kg; butyrate: 3.66, 3.19, and 1.38 mmol/kg), the DH group exhibited significantly higher acetate concentrations (45.3, 33.7, and 12.9 mmol/kg), propionate (14.3, 11.1, and 5.94 mmol/kg), and butyrate (12.9, 6.69, and 4.52 mmol/kg) in the rumen, reticulum, and omasum, respectively (p<0.05), indicating enhanced fermentation capacity, a significantly thicker rumen mucosal epithelium (p<0.05) suggesting a greater capacity for VFA absorption. Taxonomic analysis showed that Firmicutes and Bacteroidota were the predominant phyla in four stomachs. Differential analysis identified that the DH group had significantly enriched taxa associated with fiber degradation (e.g., Fibrobacterota, Spirochaetota) in the forestomachs. Conversely, the rumen of HH group was enriched with Anaerolineae, associated with complex plant fiber degradation. PICRUSt2 functional prediction indicated that differentially microbes in the DH group were primarily linked to the biosynthesis of lysine and arginine, whereas those in the HH group were enriched in degradation pathways such as amino acid degradation.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The DH group markedly elevated VFA production by modulating the forestomach microbial structure. Combined with adaptive improvements in rumen epithelial, this effect potentially enhanced energy utilization and growth performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":7825,"journal":{"name":"Animal Bioscience","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148987662","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Metabolizable energy value and ileal amino acid digestibility of fibrous feed ingredients in 22-day-old broiler chickens.","authors":"Su Hyun An, June Hyeok Yoon, Seol Hwa Park, Changsu Kong","doi":"10.5713/ab.260551","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.260551","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Fibrous feed ingredients may benefit gut development and reduce feed costs in broiler production; however, some ingredients contain antinutritional factors that can impair nutrient utilization. Therefore, accurate evaluation of their nutritive values is warranted prior to incorporating these ingredients into broiler diets. This study aimed to determine the apparent metabolizable energy (AME) concentrations and ileal amino acid (AA) digestibility in fibrous feed ingredients for 22-d-old broilers.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>On day 18 post-hatch, 288 Arbor Acres male broilers were assigned to six dietary treatments, with eight replicate cages (six birds per cage). Five experimental diets were formulated with wheat bran (WB), rice bran (RB), soybean hull (SH), corn gluten feed (CGF), and sugar beet pulp (SBP) as the sole source of energy and AA. Thereafter, the retention of dry matter (DM) and nitrogen (N) in the fibrous-ingredient-based diets was determined.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The DM and N retention of WB and RB exceeded (p < 0.05) those of SH, CGF, and SBP. The SBP had the lowest DM and N availability among the tested feed ingredients. The highest and lowest AME were found in RB and SH, respectively (p < 0.05). Additionally, the AME values recalculated based on N retention equivalent to a standardized 50% of N intake or zero N retention showed the same ranking of energy concentration among feed ingredients as the determined AME values. For indispensable AA, CGF showed the highest digestibility, whereas SH demonstrated the lowest (p < 0.05). For dispensable AA, WB exhibited the highest digestibility, while SH remained the lowest (p < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>For indispensable AA, the highest digestibility was observed in CGF, followed by RB, WB, SBP, and SH. Contrastingly, for dispensable AA, WB showed the greatest digestibility, followed by CGF, RB, SBP, and SH.</p>","PeriodicalId":7825,"journal":{"name":"Animal Bioscience","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148987694","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epidemiology, risk factors, and spatio-temporal distribution of lumpy skin disease in cattle in northern Bangladesh.","authors":"Md Shajedur Rahman, Md Khaled Hossain, Jahangir Alam, Nazmi Ara Rumi, Md Tanvir Islam, Md Hasan Ali, Shihab Ahmed, Hemayet Hossain, Jong-Joo Kim, Md Azizul Haque","doi":"10.5713/ab.260493","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.260493","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is an emerging transboundary viral disease that causes substantial economic losses in cattle production worldwide. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the epidemiology, risk factors, and spatial-temporal distribution through molecular detection of lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) among cattle in northern Bangladesh.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2023 to August 2025 across 10 districts involving 8,650 cattle from 1,200 households. Clinical examination, questionnaire-based epidemiological investigation, spatial mapping, and PCR targeting the P32 and thymidine kinase (TK) genes were performed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The overall prevalence of LSD was 30.15% (2608/8650; 95% CI: 29.2-32.1), while mortality and case fatality rates (CFR) were 3.02% and 10.01%, respectively. Marked spatial and seasonal variations were observed, with the highest prevalence recorded in Thakurgaon (33.92%) and during the rainy season (44.56%). Calves aged below one year showed the highest prevalence (37.39%) and were approximately two times more susceptible to infection (OR = 2.04; 95% CI: 1.82-2.29). Non-vaccinated cattle showed markedly higher prevalence (36.45%) of LSD. Multivariable logistic regression identified non-vaccination (AOR = 14.3; 95% CI: 9.63-21.7), poor biosecurity (AOR = 5.18; 95% CI: 3.37-8.08), and large herd size (AOR = 2.80; 95% CI: 1.87-4.22) as major independent predictors of LSD occurrence.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The findings demonstrate that LSD is widely distributed and strongly influenced by management, environmental, and host-related factors in northern Bangladesh. Strengthening vaccination coverage, farm biosecurity, vector control, and targeted surveillance programs may substantially reduce the burden of Lumpy Skin Disease in cattle populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":7825,"journal":{"name":"Animal Bioscience","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148987679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatial Microbiota-Metabolite-Mucosa Crosstalk During Piglet Weaning: A Niche-Aware Framework for the Design of Commensal Probiotic Consortia.","authors":"Anna Kang, Woong Ji Lee, Ki Beom Jang, Younghoon Kim","doi":"10.5713/ab.260666","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.260666","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Weaning exposes piglets to abrupt dietary, social, and environmental changes that disrupt intestinal development and microbial ecosystem maturation. Post-weaning intestinal dysfunction is often accompanied by broad restructuring of intestinal microbial communities, but interpretations based primarily on fecal profiles can overlook the spatial organization of the gastrointestinal tract. Weaning also remodels local intestinal niches through changes in epithelial architecture, barrier integrity, nutrient flow, immune activity, and redox balance. These changes occur within distinct ecological habitats across the ileum, cecum, and colon, where digesta- and mucosa-associated microbial communities differ in substrate exposure and host interaction. Consequently, microbial communities and their functions may be reorganized in a site- and compartment-dependent manner. The physiological relevance of microbial metabolites similarly depends on their site of production, epithelial accessibility, microbial transformation, and host utilization. Amino acid metabolism, lactate-mediated cross-feeding, carbohydrate fermentation, tryptophan-derived signaling, and bile acid transformation illustrate this spatial dependence. Commensal lactobacilli are of particular interest because their abundance and metabolic activities change during weaning; however, adhesion, substrate utilization, metabolite production, and host interactions vary markedly among species and strains. Probiotic potential therefore cannot be inferred from taxonomic identity or fecal detection alone. This review proposes a niche-aware framework in which the target intestinal site and desired function are defined before strain selection. Candidate probiotics and defined consortia should be evaluated for niche fitness, functional complementarity, site-specific activity, and strain-level safety. Integrating region-resolved microbiota profiling with metabolomics and spatially matched host responses may enable more precise and reproducible microbial strategies to support intestinal adaptation during piglet weaning.</p>","PeriodicalId":7825,"journal":{"name":"Animal Bioscience","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148987733","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effects of different vitamin mixtures on growth performance, rumen fermentation parameters, serum metabolites, and heat stress biomarkers in Hanwoo heifers under high temperature-humidity condition.","authors":"Beom Seok Kim, Seong Jin Lee, Joon Beom Moon, Dae Kyeom Yoo, Jong Min Kim, Hyeon Wook Shin, Geun Tae Kim, Jae Yong Song, Gi Hwal Son, Gyo Moon Chu, Ja Kyeom Seo","doi":"10.5713/ab.260506","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.260506","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Heat stress impairs feed intake, metabolic balance, and productivity in cattle, and nutritional strategies are needed to maintain productivity under hot conditions. This study evaluated the effects of two complete commercial vitamin premixes on growth performance, rumen fermentation, blood profiles, and stress-related biomarkers in Hanwoo heifers under high temperature-humidity conditions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Fifteen Hanwoo heifers (initial body weight 647 ± 35 kg; age 27.7 ± 0.40 months) were assigned to a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design with three 21-day periods. The treatments were a control, Mix A, and Mix B, with both premixes top-dressed onto the morning ration at 0.4% of daily dry matter intake. Growth performance, feed intake, rumen fermentation, hematological and serum biochemical profiles, and serum cortisol and heat shock proteins 70 and 90 were measured.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mean temperature-humidity index was 78.6, with a mean of 74.6 at 05:00, indicating sustained heat load. Mix A increased forage dry matter intake compared with the control (1.27 vs. 1.18 kg/d; p = 0.0187), whereas Mix B was intermediate. Mix B reduced the molar proportion of ruminal iso-butyrate (p = 0.0086) and serum total protein (p = 0.0023) and showed a tendency toward greater average daily gain (p = 0.0820). Serum albumin was lower in Mix B than in Mix A, with the control being intermediate (p = 0.0460). Mix B also showed a lower serum cortisol than the control, whereas Mix A was intermediate (p = 0.0372).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The premixes produced distinct mixture-specific responses under high temperature-humidity conditions. Mix A increased forage intake, whereas Mix B altered ruminal iso-butyrate, serum protein variables, and the cortisol concentration.</p>","PeriodicalId":7825,"journal":{"name":"Animal Bioscience","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148987663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reduced dietary electrolyte balance affects growth performance and fecal odor compounds in growing pigs.","authors":"Inho Cho, Geunyoung Park, Changsu Kong","doi":"10.5713/ab.260676","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.260676","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Dietary electrolyte balance (dEB), which influences growth performance, has recently been suggested as a cost-effective acidification strategy for odor mitigation in swine production, yet its effects on fecal volatile fatty acids and volatile organic compounds remain poorly understood. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary electrolyte balance (dEB) on growth performance and fecal odor-related compounds of growing pigs.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 90 crossbred barrows (34.1 ± 2.97 kg) were allocated to three treatments with six replicate pens using a randomized complete block design. The experimental diets were formulated to replace limestone with calcium chloride at 0%, 50%, and 100% to set dEB at 159, 80, and 1 mEq/kg. The pigs were housed for five weeks in an environmentally controlled room and had free access to water and diets. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS, and linear and quadratic effects were evaluated using orthogonal polynomial contrasts (p < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>At 3 and 5 weeks, body weight decreased linearly as dEB levels decreased (p = 0.017, p = 0.021). Average daily gain tended to decrease linearly as dEB decreased from 0 to 3 weeks (p = 0.077) and 0 to 5 weeks (p = 0.059). Average daily feed intake decreased linearly (p = 0.002) from 3 to 5 weeks and showed a quadratic response (p = 0.029) from 0 to 5 weeks as dEB decreased. Gain-to-feed ratio exhibited a quadratic response to decreasing dEB from 0 to 3 weeks (p = 0.001) and 0 to 5 weeks (p < 0.001). Decreasing dEB tended to reduce fecal p-cresol (p = 0.086) and skatole (p = 0.073) concentrations, whereas volatile fatty acid concentrations were not affected.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Moderate dEB reduction may influence fecal odor-related compounds, but excessive reduction may compromise growth performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":7825,"journal":{"name":"Animal Bioscience","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148987751","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Thermal stress responses and reproductive stability in commercial sow herds under open-side and evaporative cooling systems in subtropical Taiwan.","authors":"Shine-Ming Liou, Shih-Chieh Liao, Chun-Hsuan Chao","doi":"10.5713/ab.260556","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.260556","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study evaluated associations between thermal load and reproductive performance in commercial sow herds under contrasting housing systems in subtropical Taiwan.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Reproductive records from seven commercial pig farms (three open-side and four evaporative-cooling) were analyzed from January to August 2023. Temperature and relative humidity were continuously monitored to calculate the temperature-humidity index (THI). Linear mixed-effects models with farm as a random intercept were complemented by housing-stratified, segmented, generalized additive, lag-specific, variability, and multivariate analyses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Increasing THI was associated with lower farrowing and pregnancy rates and a higher stillbirth rate (p<0.001). Per unit increase in THI, farrowing and pregnancy rates decreased by 0.511 and 0.390 percentage points, respectively, whereas stillbirth rate increased by 0.241 percentage points. Open-side housing was associated with a 2.606-percentage-point lower farrowing rate than evaporative cooling (p=0.042), whereas the THI×housing interaction tests provided little evidence of differential linear THI associations between housing systems. Open-side barns also exhibited greater temporal variability in reproductive traits (p≤0.002) and greater multivariate dispersion (PERMDISP, p<0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Higher THI was associated with poorer reproductive performance. Reproductive performance was comparatively more stable in evaporative-cooling barns; however, housing-related differences should be interpreted cautiously because housing type was confounded with farm.</p>","PeriodicalId":7825,"journal":{"name":"Animal Bioscience","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148987739","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}